Electric toy



Jan. 9, 1951 s. P. ROSHAK 2,537,281

ELECTRIC TOY Filed Sept. 16, 1946 4 Sheets-Sheet l BY ///Z @27 Jan. 9,1951 s, css 2,537,281

ELECTRIC TOY Filed Sept. 16, 1946 4 SheetsSheet 3 55 5s .7 INVENTOR.

' 5mm fifios HAK A TORNEKS.

Patented Jan. 9, 1951 UNlTED STATES PATENT OFFICE ELECTRIC TOY StanleyP. Roshak, Milwaukee, Wis.

Application September 16, 1946, Serial No. 697,209

provide novel means for steering the vehicles around curves during thetravel of the vehicles on the track.

A further object of my invention is to provide guide grooves in thetrack, particularly around the end curved sections thereof, with adepending steering arm on each vehicle for finding and engaging a guidegroove in the track for turning the wheels of the vehicle in accordancewith the layout of the track.

A further important object of my invention is to provide a toy racetrack or the like having figures simulating the appearance of animalssuch as horses, with means carried by the feet of the figures forpropelling the figures around the track; electric driving means beingprovided in the bodies of the figures receiving current from the trackfor actuating the propelling means.

A still further object of my invention is to provide means for actuatingthe propelling means for the figure on one side thereof independent ofthe propelling means on the other side thereof, whereby should thecontact shoes for one set of propelling means be out of engagement withthe conductor strips of opposite polarity on the track, the other pairof shoes will serve to supply current to the other set of propellingmeans, thereby tending to turn the figure around a curved track.

A still further object of my invention is to provide an amusement deviceof the above character which will create interest and which can beplaced upon the narket at a reasonable cost.

With these and other objecLs in view the invention consists in the novelconstruction, arrangement and formation of parts, as will be hereinaftermore specifically described, claimed, and illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, in which drawings Figure l is a top plan view ofmy amusement device showing one of the vehicles on the track.

Figure 2 is a enlarged fragmentary detail longitudinal sectional viewillustrating the action of the steering means for the vehicle.

Figure 3 is a transervse sectional view taken substantially on the line3-3 of Figure 2 looking in the direction of the arrows and illustratingthe driving means for the vehicle and the means for conducting currentto the mo tor of the vehicle.

Figure 4 is a fragmetary transverse sectional view taken substantiallyon the line 4-4 of Figure 2 looking in the direction of the arrows,showing the front steering end of a vehicle.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary sectional View through the track, the viewbeing taken substantially on the line 5-5 of Figure 1 looking in thedirection of the arrows and illustrating the guide grooves in the curvedportion of the track.

Figure 6 is a detail fragmentary view partly in plan and partly insection, the part in section being taken substantially on the line 83 ofFigure 2 looking in the direction of the arrows and illustrating thesteering means.

Figure 7 is a top plan view of a miniature race track showing the use ofmy novel figures thereon.

Figure 8 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view through one of thefigures taken substan tially on the line 83 of Figure 9 looking in thedirection of the arrows.

Figure 9 is a horizontal sectional view through one of the figures takensubstantially on the line 9-9 of Figure 8 looking in the direction ofthe arrows and showing the initial position of a figure as it approachesa curved portion of the track.

Figure 10 is a transverse sectional view taken substantially on the lineIii-l0 of Figure 8 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Referring to the drawings in detail, wherein similar referencecharacters designate corresponding parts throughout the several viewsthe letter A generally indicates my novel amusement device and the sameincludes a miniature race track ll. As shown in Figures 1 to 6 inclusivetoy vehicles I2 are adapted to travel around the track.

The miniature race track l l can be constructed in difierent manners andof different shapes, but as illustrated the same can be of substantialloval shape in plan or of an oblong form with rounded ends. It is to bealso understood that the base could be laid out in the form of a city ortown, with stores and the like. In the present instance I have shown thetrack t include a baseboard 13 formed from plastic or other nonelectricconducting material and the inner and outer edges of the board can beprovided with guard rails l4. Imbedded in the baseboard are spacedparallel relatively wide electric conducpending steering arm 32.

Thus each stub axle is insulated one from the other. It is to be alsounderstood that the rear wheels 34 are of electric conducting material.

The coupling or sleeve 31 has rigidly secured thereto or formed thereona worm wheel 38 and this worm wheel 38 meshes with a worm 39 formed onor keyed to the armature shaft of a small electric motor 48. Theelectric motor 40 is fastened to the body 25 of the vehicle and theterminals thereof are electrically connected by separate wires ill and42 -to the opposite brackets track or any portion thereof withoutdeparting from my invention.

Electric current is supplied to the track from any suitable source ofelectric energy and :I :have shown feed and return wires .21 and 22leading toward the track. The wire 2! is electrically con- While I haveillustrated one particular form of drive between the electric motor edand the stub axles 35 it is to be understood, of course, that otherequivalent driving means can be substinected to binding posts 23connected wi h the I structed identical with each o-her only one vehiclehas been illustrated and only one vehicle will be described in detail.

The vehicle i2 is preferably ,in the form of a racing automobile andincludes a body 25. This body is preferably molded from plastic or othernonelectric conducting material. The body is provided with front wheels28 which are mounted upon a swinging steering axle 2?. The axle ismounted in an inverted U shaped yoke 28 and this yoke at its center ismounted ,for swinging or turning movement on a pivot pin or rivet 29carried by the body. The yoke has formed thereon at its transversecenter a forwardly extending leg 30 and this leg preferably inclinesdownwardly. The forward end thereof carries a depending guide pin 3i.upon the pin for up and down movement isa de- This arm is held bygravity against the track, but if desired spring means can be utilizedfor normally urging the .turned.

During the travel of the vehicle around the track, the steering arm isin constant engagement with the upper face of the track and when thevehicle approaches a curve the arm will fall in one of the grooves 23which will bring about the turning of the vehicle -(see Fig. 6).

The vehicle is provided with rear drive wheels 34 and these wheels aresecured to stub axles :35 rotatably mounted in bearing brackets 38secured to the opposite sides of the vehicle. These 7 brackets areformed from electric conducting material for a purpose, which will laterappear. These stub axles 35 are united for synchronous turning movementby a sleeve or coupling 3] formed from nonelectric conducting material.

Slidably mounted' the .rear wheels thereof engaging the device.

,tuted therefor.

'When the vehicle is placed on the track I l with conductor strips ofopposite polarity, say strips I7 and [8 (see Fig. 3) the current willflow :from wire 2|, binding posts 23, conductor strips ll, one wheel 3one bracket 13%, wire H, motor 1w, wire-32, the

other bracket 36 and wheel 34, conductor strip l8 back "to wire 22.Consequently the vehicle will-be propelled around the track. As the samereaches a curve the vehicle tends to continue its straight forward path(see Fig.1) :until the steering arm 32 finds its way into one of thegrooves 23, at which time the front steering Wheels will be turned andthe vehicle will follow the track. This lends interest to the device inthat where :a plurality of vehicles are used on'the track the same willchange their positions relative to one another and thus lend excitementto As the vehicles change their position from one set of conductors toanother on the straightaway, this will only add to the furtherexcitement of watching the amusement 'device. If it so happens that therear wheels simul taneously engage nonconductor ribs, then cur rentwould momentarily be interrupted ;to the vehicle and this would giveother vehicles time :to pass the mentioned vehicle.

It is to be also understood, that the specific steering mechanism shownis by way of example and other types of steering'mechanism can beemployed.

While in Figures ,1 to 6, [have shown toy=automobiles, it is to beunderstood that toy figures can be utilized in lieu thereof and inFigures '7 to 10 of the drawing I have shown miniature animals 43 whichare shaped-to simulate :the appearance of horses. Obviously other formsof animals canbe used.

The track in this form of the invention is indicated by the referencecharacter 45 and can be formed in the same manner as the track inFigures 1 to 6. Hence the track 44 includes a iQa-re electricallyconnected to a return wire 5i.

Alternating current is preferably supplied in this form of my invention.

Each figure '43 includes a body 52 fabricated to simulate the desiredanimal and the animal is provided with depending legs 53, 5'4, 55, and'55. The lower ends of the legs are shaped to simulate hoofs 57 and eachhoof has connected therewith a contact shoe 58. It is to be noted thateach contact shoe is insulatedfrom its hoof by a piece of insulation 59.

Rigidly mounted within the body 52 and insulated therefrom is a pair ofspaced magnets 60 and BI. One terminal of the magnet 50 is electricallyconnected by wire 62 With the shoe 58 of one front leg 55. The otherterminal of the magnet 66 is electrically connected, by wire 63 with theshoe 58 carried by the rear leg 54. Hence the terminals of this magnetare connected to opposite diagonal legs. One terminal of the magnet tiis electrically connected to the contact shoe 58 carried by the leg 53by a wire 64 and the other terminal of the magnet 6| is electricallyconnected, by wire 55 with the shoe 58 carried by the rear leg 56.Consequently the terminals of this magnet are electrically connected toshoes carried by the opposite diagonal legs of the figure. The magnet$53 is provided with a longitudinaly extending armature E6 and themagnet BI is provided with a similar armature 61. Both armatures arenormally held in a raised position away from their magnets bycontractile coil springs 68. The ends of the armatures each carrydepending operating rods 69 which extend slidably through the hollowlegs of the figures. Below the lower ends of the rod 69, the feet 5! ofthe legs of the figure carry rotatable ratchet wheels 79 and theseratchet wheels are adapted to engage the track and when turned serve asmeans for propelling a fig are over a track. The rods 69 each carry apivoted dog H and each dog is normally urged into engagement with itsratchet wheel by a spring i2. Suitable guiding means '!3 is provided ineach leg for each rod.

When a figure is placed on the track the opposite diagonal corner legswill engage conductor strips of diiferent polarity and hence the magnetswill receive current from the track. The energizing of the magnets 59and 6! and the springs 68 will alternately raise and lower the A rods 59and this movement will turn the ratchet wheels l8. Hence the figureswill travel along the track. The tendency of a figure when reach ing thecurved portion of the track is to travel straight ahead and consequentlythe shoes 58 carried by the legs 54 and 55 (see Fig. 9) will ride on thesame conductor strip 41; and consequently no current will be fed to themagnet 89. However, the shoes 58 of the legs 53 and 56 will be ondifierent conductor strips namely strips 41 and i8 consequently themagnet 5i will be periodically energized from the supply andconsequently the ratchet wheels it carried by the legs and 5% will beoperated and the figure will tend to move around the curve.

As the points of the ratchet wheel it engage the track, they function,momentarily, to raise the contact shoes and interrupt the circuits tothe magnets.

From the foregoing description, it can be seen that I have provided anamusement devic which will simulate a race track and in which the figurs associated therewith are motor driven from current transmitted fromthe track itself.

Changes in. details may be made without departing from the spirit or thescope of this invention but what I claim as new is:

In an amusement device, a toy race track including a baseboard and aseries of continuous conductors on said board spaced laterally, theconductor strips being of alternate polarity, feed and return wires forsaid strips, a toy vehicle adapted to travel along said track having adriving electric motor, a circuit between a pair of conductor strips andthe motor, insulator ribs carried by the base board between theconductor strips, said insulator ribs terminating short of the upperfaces of the conductor strips defining guide grooves between saidconductor strips, said vehicle having front swinging steering wheels, adepending steering arm slidahly and rotatably carried by the vehicleoperatively connected with the steering wheels, said steering arm beingnormally held against the track and adapted to ride into a guide groove.

STANLEY P. R-OSHAK.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,507,723 Avery Sept. 9, 192%1,695,691 Boyer Nov. 9, 1925 1,613,866 Avery Jan. 11, 1927 1,856,991Franklin May 3, 1932 1,886,484 Kline Nov. 8, 1932

